Q: What if the scan shows twins?
A:
If the scan shows two babies or more, you will need some special advice. It is important for the person performing the scan to find out whether there are two complete sets of amniotic sacs and placentas, or if these are shared. (If they are shared, it means that the twins will be identical.) If they are shared, they are called a monochorionic placenta and a monoamniotic sac. It is very important to know if they are shared because of the particular hazards these pregnancies face during the antenatal period.
Any woman with a multiple pregnancy will need to have extra scans to allow the doctor and midwife to check that both babies are growing satisfactorily. Twins and higher multiples are high-risk pregnancies and both carry a significant risk of premature birth.
